Transition to translucent sutures

Abstract

An absorbable medical article comprising:an absorbable polymeric substrate; andan absorbable composition disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate, wherein the absorbable composition comprises:(i) at least one absorbable coating polymer distinct from the substrate and (ii) a colorant that is miscible with the absorbable coating polymer.

1 . An absorbable medical article comprising:
 an absorbable polymeric substrate; and   an absorbable composition disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate, wherein the absorbable composition comprises:   (i) at least one absorbable coating polymer distinct from the substrate and (ii) a colorant that is miscible with the absorbable coating polymer.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is initially colored and then transitions to translucent within 1 hour to 28 days after in vivo use in a medical procedure on a subject. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable composition forms a layer on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable polymeric substrate is a filament. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable polymeric substrate is a monofilament or a multifilament, the monofilament or the multifilament having an outer surface, wherein the absorbable composition is disposed only on the outer surface. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the absorbable composition coats all of the outer surface. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable composition forms a layer of 2 mm to 10 nm thickness on the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the colorant is crystal violet, methylene blue, acid green (e.g., acid green 25), thymol blue, chromium-cobalt-aluminum oxide, ferric ammonium citrate, pyrogallol, logwood extract, 1,4-bis[(2-hydroxy-ethyl)amino]-9,10-anthracenedione bis(2-propenoic)ester copolymer, 1,4-bis[(2-methylphenyl)amino]-9,10-anthracenedione, 1-bis[4-(2-methacryloxyethyl) phenylamino]anthraquinone copolymer, carbazole violet, chlorophyllin-copper complex (oil soluble), chromium oxide green, C.I. Vat Orange 1, 2-[[2,5-diethoxy-4-[(4-methylphenyl)thiol]phenyl]azo]-1,3,5-benzenetriol, 16,23-dihydrodinaphtho[2,3-a:2′,3′-i]naphth[2′,3′:6,7]indolo[2,3-c]carbazole-5,10,15,17,22,24-hexone, n,n′-(9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-1,5-anthracenediyl) bisbenzamide, 7,16-dichloro-6,15-dihydro-5,9,14,18-anthrazinetetrone, 16,17-dimethoxydinaphtho (1,2,3-cd:3′,2′,1′-Im) perylene-5,10-dione, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-dye copolymer, Reactive Black 5, Reactive Blue 21, Reactive Orange 78, Reactive Yellow 15, Reactive Blue No. 19, Reactive Blue No. 4, C.I. Reactive Red 11, C.I. Reactive Yellow 86, C.I. Reactive Blue 163, C.I. Reactive Red 180, 4-[(2,4-dimethylphenyl)azo]-2,4-dihydro-5-methyl-phenyl-3H-pyrazol-3-one, 6-ethoxy-2-(6-ethoxy-3-oxobenzo[b]thien-2(3h)-ylidene) benzo[b]thiophen-3(2h)-one, phthalocyanine green, iron oxide, titanium dioxide, vinyl alcohol/methyl methacrylate-dye reaction product, C.I. Reactive Red 180, C.I. Reactive Black 5, C.I. Reactive Orange 78, C.I. Reactive Yellow 15, C.I. Reactive Blue No. 19, C.I. Reactive Blue 21, mica-based pearlescent pigment, disodium 1-amino-4-[[4-[(2-bromo-1-oxoallyl)amino]-2-sulphonatophenyl]amino]-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxoanthracene-2-sulphonate (Reactive Blue 69), D&C Blue No. 9, D&C Green No. 5, [phthalocyaninato(2-)] copper, FD&C Blue No. 2, D&C Blue No. 6, D&C Green No. 6, D&C Red No. 17, D&C Violet No. 2, D&C Yellow No. 10, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the colorant is an ion-exchanged dye or pigment. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the colorant is an ion-exchanged dye having an organic alkanoate exchanged for a dye counteranion. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the colorant is an ion-exchanged dye having a quaternary phosphonium or ammonium exchanged for a dye countercation. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the colorant is an ion-exchanged dye having a polyethylene oxide chain exchanged for a dye counterion. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer of the absorbable polymeric substrate is a polymer, copolymer, or mixture thereof, made from glycolide, L(−)-lactide, D(+)-lactide, meso-lactide, epsilon-caprolactone, p-dioxanone, trimethylene carbonate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable coating polymer comprises aliphatic polyester, polyanhydride, aliphatic polyurethane, aliphatic polycarbonate, hydrophobically-modified polysaccharide, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a monofilament, a monofilament suture, a multifilament suture, a surgical mesh, a surgical fabric, a film, a barbed suture, an injection molded article, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a suture. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable composition degrades faster than the substrate in vivo. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 applying the article of  claim 1  to a subject wherein the article is colored at the time of applying but then transitions to translucent within 1 hour to 28 days after the time of applying.